The War of Past and Future
by Snm1000
Summary: The sequel to The Once and Future Queen. The peaceful life of the Goblin King is upended by a new and ominous prophecy.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is a sequel to The Once and Future Queen.**

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Chapter 1

Time ticked by slowly, he was aware of every passing moment, even without the clock nearby. The light of a half-moon touched on the land before him, though he paid the scene no mind. Motionless on the balcony, he waited, barely breathing, his eyes closed as he focused his thoughts on the sign he was looking for. Waiting…waiting in the still night.

A soft breeze, barely noticeable, danced over the land from the east. It played through his hair as he inhaled deeply, his eyes snapped open as he recognized the scent of the ocean in the air. His hand gripped the edge of the balcony as he pushed the anger down inside. Once again, the eastern wind blew the unlikely smells of salt water through his kingdom, stronger this time, he knew he wasn't imagining it. It was a signal, one he had hope to never receive.

Lost in his thoughts, it took him several moments to realize he was no long alone. The little girl's eyes were wide and guileless as she looked up at him, in the darkness they were shadowed but he had the shade of green etched on his heart.

He faked a smiled as he knelt down to her, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"What are you doing out of bed, little one? You should be sound asleep." He asked softly, not wanting wake her mother in the adjoining room.

"Where you waiting for it?" She asked, her voice a cracking whisper.

"Waiting for what, darling?"

"The eastern wind. Like I told you this morning."

"I told you, you're too little to worry about such things yet." Effortlessly, he picked her up and silently took her back to her room.

"I know what you told me, but I can't help it." She said with the dramatic frustration only a seven year old could feel.

He tucked his daughter back into her little bed, kissing her on the cheek as she curled up among the covers.

"I know you can't control it when those thoughts come to you little one, but they don't always mean exactly what you think. They're like riddles, or puzzles."

"But I'm right so much of the time when they do happen!" She answered back as she sat up, exasperated.

He couldn't withhold the chuckle that escaped as he eased her back to bed. "I know darling, you're a very smart little girl, but think of all the times you weren't right."

She let out a sigh, as all seven year olds, she conveniently forgot about all the times she was wrong. "I guess." She said glumly.

He smiled down at her as he rose to leave. "Good night, darling. Don't let those thoughts worry you. If you have another one, just tell me. If anyone needs to worry, I'll do it." He winked at her before he left the room.

The smile on his face only lasted as long as she could see him. Wearily, he made his way to the bedroom he shared with his wife. Peaceful and still, she slept, a small smile on her lips was visible in the soft moonlight.

Before joining her in bed, he looked out over his kingdom. Labyrinth hedges glimmered faintly in the moonlight, the pathways dark and ominous. An occasional lantern flickered in the distance where the Goblin City's inhabitants went about their business. Once again, a breeze from the east reached him, the familiar scent greeting him again.

Dread formed a cold lump in his chest that he had been fighting since that morning, since he daughter had told him her unsettling prediction, a nagging thought that wouldn't leave the little princess alone.

" _A western wind will come from the east. The sea will rise up. The past will take the future for its own. A war of blood will leave the rightful king."_

Her little voice replayed over and over in his head, he could not let her see the fear her words brought him. He hoped it was nothing, or something so far into the future it wouldn't be their concern, but that afternoon the wind had turned suddenly. Lightly, the smell of the ocean played along the wind. To someone not looking for it, it would be undetectable, but to him it was the smell of his childhood.

He walked over to his wife's desk and slowly opened the small jewelry box that held her favorite pieces. He knew he would find the locket inside, silently he opened it and stared back at the two images it held. In the feeble light of the half-moon, his parents' eyes looked back at him, admitting nothing.

"What are you plotting?" He whispered the portraits, the only answer was the rustling of leaves as the winds began to blow harder.

He threw the locket in frustration, not caring where it landed, and turned to the western window. He knew he would only see the near endless darkness of the sleeping labyrinth, but he knew out there beyond his kingdom was another world, a world of salty breezes, mysterious creatures, raging storms, and most dangerous of all, an exiled king.

Jareth, the Goblin King, only had one fear. He feared the loss of those he loved; the family he had created after the loss of the family he had been born to. His daughter's premonitions were like puzzles, open to interpretation, but it had not taken much understand her latest warning.

His father was coming.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jareth waited silently while he watched the High King absorb what he had just requested. He had managed to meet with His Majesty while he was having breakfast. Jareth had waited until the wait staff had been dismissed to get to the point of the meeting. Now the only sound in the room was the crackling of the fire in the hearth across the room, His Majesty sat at the head of the table, fork midway to his mouth as his face turned near maroon as Jareth's words sunk in.

"Absolutely not." His Majesty said in a near whisper. Jareth had not expected anything else and remained silent, knowing more was to come.

"How dare you ask such a question. Your fath-." The High King couldn't even bring himself to say the word before his anger choked him to silence.

"I understand, Your Majesty. I don't want you to think that this is some sort of desire to end the exile. I have a suspicion, I just want to make sure that suspicion is wrong." Jareth said calmly, keeping as much of the truth to himself as he could.

"How am I supposed to believe something like that? Treason! Have you forgotten what he caused?!" His Majesty threw his fork back on his plate, causing a metallic clang as bits of egg splattered onto the table, Jareth elegantly ducked as piece flew towards him. As always, he remained as cool and measured as he could whenever dealing with the tempestuous ruler. He casually brushed bits of food off the blue velvet sleeve of his coat.

"It would be reckless and stupid of me to try anything against you. Besides, after I sided against my father all those years ago I doubt he will 'roll out the welcome mat' as Sarah would say." Jareth couldn't help a bit of a smirk at the memory of his wife and her many human turns of phrase.

"Hhhhmmm." His Majesty replied, unbelieving.

"A day, that's all I'm asking for. Surely, we can come to an arrangement. You should be jumping at the chance to get an account of what he's been up to, how my mother is faring." Jareth knew mentioning his mother, the High King's lost love, was a gamble.

"Are you trying to get yourself thrown into the dungeon? You aren't the only one with an oubliette or two!"

Mentioning his mother was a rare misstep. "Your Majesty, I would not ask this of you if I was not concerned that he may be plotting. He has had centuries to devise some sort of revenge, against you, against me. I would rather find out sooner than later." Jareth answered, desperation beginning to bring a sharpness in his voice.

The Goblin King and the High King stared each other down, waiting for the other to acquiesce. An idea lit up in the High King's eyes as a smirk stretched his lips. Jareth sat back, uneasy at the change, he suddenly felt his control of the conversation leave him.

"I will give you permission, under one condition."

"And that would be?" Jareth replied warily.

"Bring the Goblin Queen and the Princess here, to High Castle. They will stay with me until you return." His Majesty answered simply, as if he was asking to borrow a cup of sugar.

"You expect me to agree to allow you to hold my family hostage?!" Jareth pushed back from the table, his control leaving him.

"Now Jareth, hardly hostage, I merely desire them to visit while you are away on your…diplomatic assignment. Once you return with your report, you will be free to leave with your family in tow." His Majesty smiled innocently, Jareth wanted destroy him with his bare hands, but he couldn't help but understand just what he was doing, the High King knew he would never do anything that may cause his wife or daughter harm.

"You know I cannot agree to something like this without discussing it with my wife."

His Majesty responded in a very unkinglike manner and rolled his eyes, "You are the King of Goblins and yet you allow your wife to lead you around by the nose. Simply tell her what her duties as Goblin Queen are."

Jareth had long become immune to jabs from other rulers who found his devotion to his wife ridiculous. "Seeing as I have to live with my wife I would prefer not to give her reason to make that arrangement unpleasant." Sarah would not allow herself to managed that way.

"If being king was easy anyone could do it. You will have to take on the difficult task of getting your wife to agree."

Jareth looked back on the conversation he had with His Majesty that morning, it was a great deal more pleasant than the one he was having at present. Sarah was not pleased. Though it had been well over two hundred years since she had beaten the labyrinth he could still see traces of that girl, especially now when she felt managed. Her cheeks were flush with anger and her chin tilted up with indignation, she looked beautiful and very much like a queen.

"Are you smiling at me, Jareth?!"

"I'm sorry love, you just look so pretty when you're mad at me."

"Well, good for you then, since I doubt I will stop being mad at you for quite a while now!"

Jareth sighed, he had hoped to keep their daughter's prophecy from Sarah until he knew if it was correct. Sybil's abilities were dangerous ones to have, each one etched her mother's face with worry, if the little princess' powers became public knowledge she would be sought out by every ruling family in the kingdoms, many families that would have no qualms about stealing the little girl for themselves or retaliating against her for an unfavorable prophecy. To save his wife from the anxiety Jareth often kept the visions to himself but Sarah's reaction made it clear he was going to have to lay it all on the table. He pulled her to him, though she resisted, and rested his head on top of hers, breathing in the scent of her hair. "Sybil mentioned something to me, one of her ideas, I need to see if I'm right about what it means. I'm afraid my father may be plotting a return from his exile."

Sarah tensed in his arms as she realized what that could mean for them. She pulled away enough to look him in the eye. "Do you really think he would do something like that? You said he barely escaped execution last time."

"I had my doubts, but then I noticed the wind change."

Sarah brow furrowed in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Jareth lead her to a balcony in their bedroom, the scent was even stronger than the night before.

"Breathe deeply, what do you smell?"

Sarah closed her eyes and inhaled, "It smells like the beach."

"Yes, but notice the direction."

She paused and waited for another breeze, this one strong enough to whip her hair across her face. "The direction is wrong. Your father's kingdom is in the opposite direction."

"Exactly, Sybil's prophecy specifically mentioned the western wind coming from the east."

Sarah's eyes teared with worry, she gripped Jareth's jacket, "Jareth…" She started but couldn't get out the words.

"I know love, I know. I told you when we discovered Sybil's talent that I would never let harm come to her." He held his wife close and stroked her long dark hair

"I know, but now I'll have to take her into that viper den they call High Castle while you are off trying to find out if your rebel father is planning to rebel again. I don't have any powers to protect her like you do." Ever since they were betrayed by Jareth's uncle Sarah eyed most of the other rulers with suspicion.

Jareth didn't like the idea of his wife a child alone at High Court any more than Sarah did, but there was no way around it without inciting the wrath of His Majesty. He knew of one fae ruler that Sarah did trust.

"I'll visit Nolwynn before I leave, if it will make you feel better, maybe I can convince her to visit High Castle as well."

"I think you still owe Winnie for all the favors she gave you before we got married." Sarah answered wryly.

Nolwynn had saved his life and helped ease Sarah into life among the fae centuries ago, he would never be able to repay her.

"I guess she'll just have to put it on my tab."

"Are you insane, Jareth?" Nolwynn asked, eyes wide with disbelief after he told her the plan. "You can't possibly think this is a good idea."

At noon, High Castle guards had arrived at the Goblin Castle with the orders to see Queen Sarah and Princess Sybil to the castle as guests of His Majesty. They had tried keep Jareth from accompanying his family but the guards balked at the pure fury in the Goblin King's eyes. They had each guarded the disgraced Daemon King and knew what fate enemies of King Jareth could suffer.

"Of course, I don't, any idiot could see the danger. The whole thing is insanity, but if I just wait here then father has the upper hand."

"You really think he's going to try something, don't you?" Nolwynn's voice softened at the serious expression on her friend's face. He had showed up in her office out of thin air, something he hadn't done since the trouble with her brother and sister-in-law.

"I'd bet my life on it. I need you to do something for me Win…"

"I'll leave for High Castle now, it won't be any secret why I'm there, but it's best not to be too transparent." She knew what he needed her to do. Gracefully, she left her desk and opened the door to the balcony, her wings nearly vibrating in preparation to fly.

"Thank you, Win." Jareth said softly.

"No need to thank me, your family is the only family I have left, blood be damned." She said seriously before shrugging and returning to her snippy self. "Besides, if anything happened to a hair on Sybil or Sarah's head you'd go back to being that insufferable grouch you used to be, and frankly I was quite sick of it."

Jareth couldn't help but grin, "I love you, you know."

Nolwynn smiled before lifting off the floor, "I know, I love you too, I guess we all have our burdens to bear." With a wink she was gone, leaving him with only one thing left to do.

It took only a moment to transport himself to the edge of his father's kingdom. Before he opened his eyes, he knew what laid before him. Standing on the rocky coast, the stones smooth and dark from the constant battering of wind and water, Jareth stared out into the sea. In the distance a nearly black mass jutted out of the water, stabbing through the horizon. His childhood home, it looked as forbidding as ever.

With a practiced flick of his wrist a crystal appeared in his hand, the salt spray of the surf immediately flecked it with water droplets. He flung it into the air and watched as it cut through the wind toward the castle, on its way to announce his arrival and request entrance.

He wondered what the response would be after the centuries apart. Only time would tell.

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 **Author's Note: Sorry it has taken so long to get this up. I've recently returned to school for another degree and it is eating up a lot of my time : )**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well, I've been gone longer than I wanted to be. I'm sorry for that, life can just really take over and not leave room for much else. Jareth has been very frustrated with me for leaving him on the coast by himself for so long!**

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Chapter 3

It was a surprisingly short wait. A small boat began to glide through the rough waters as if it were a toy in a duck pond. Occasionally, the back of a head would emerge momentarily from the sea, or a tail would break the water as the mermen guards pulled the dinghy along. As it came closer he could see that other sea creatures had begun to follow the vessel, eager to see who could be visiting their exiled land. Sooner than Jareth was ready for, the boat arrived, shiny and black, the surf revealing several barnacles clinging to the wood.

"Your Majesty, your Father, The King, has sent us to escort you to the castle." The merman said as he rose from the water far enough that Jareth could see the edge of where man and fish met.

Jareth sighed and nodded before stepping into the boat, bracing himself as it began to cut through the waves. He would have much rather appeared on the island as he did most places, but ever since the exile of his family, boat was the only way one could travel to the island. A few selkies followed behind as nereids frolicked ahead of the merman guards. Several rocks jutted out along the coast, housing sirens, who began their intoxicating serenade at the sight of him. He closed his eyes at the sound and cast a spell that would block his hearing. When he lived in the castle as a child the siren's song was nearly constant, allowing him to grow immune to its power, but it had been gone far too long.

Already weary of this journey and covered with a light spray of salt water, Jareth opened his eyes as he felt boat come to a stop. The guards quickly tied the dinghy back to its dock as Jareth set foot on the first slick algae covered step that rose from the sea. He felt a shiver and a rush of dread as he placed his foot on his homeland for the first time in over a thousand years.

Steadily, he made his way up the winding steps as the waves crashed against the coast of the island, the breaks nearly reached as high as the castle itself. As he got closer to the fortress he could see that it was relatively the same as he remembered it. The stones were a bit darker from the constant moisture, giant white formations of sea salt clung to certain parts where the sea reached during high tide.

As Jareth reached the end of the steps, the corroded iron gate began to rise slowly. Wary of the metal, he eyed the gate until it reached its limit before stepping into the court yard. Noticing there was no one to greet him there he marched toward the throne room, his memory drug him unwillingly back to the past as he retraced his childhood footsteps.

Anger began to rise as he thought of what his father had done, selfish ambition had left Jareth and his mother vulnerable. He could not imagine doing anything that would risk Sarah or Sybil for the desire of power. Now here he was again, back home with the suspicion his father was going to try again, regardless of the dangers.

Jareth reached the heavy wooden door as it began to open for him. The chamber was lit dimly from the watery sunlight filtering through large stained-glass windows. The imagery of sea creatures filled the panes, his father's favorites had always been the ones that depicted humans being bested by these sea creatures. It seems hind sight is 20/20, Jareth thought, his father's dislike of humans should have made him warier of his uncle, his uncle that rotted away somewhere deep inside the labyrinth.

"Jareth, King of Goblins, my my my, the prodigal son returns." His father's voice was full of mocking disdain. Jareth wasn't surprised, once he had turned his back on his father during the revolt he new that bridge was irrevocably burned.

"Father. Where's Mother?" Jareth was surprised at the calm tone of his voice, he knew he could not show his father even a hint of nervousness or he would never get what he came for.

The Sea King laughed, "Do you really think I would allow you to see her? No, you turned your back on your mother, you no longer get the privilege of her company."

"I turned my back on you Father, not Mother. Don't you remember? It was so long ago, I can see how you would forget." Jareth remained casual as he could, walking around the throne room as if this visit were a regular occurrence.

His father began to shake with rage, rising from his throne. "I remember very clearly you bastard! You ignorant fool! I could have been High King! You would have been only second in power to me! Your mother would have been High Queen, as she deserves!"

"But you are not High King, because you weren't chosen to be. Mother could have been High Queen if she had married another, and I am the second most powerful king despite your efforts to ruin my future." Jareth knew he was "poking the bear" as Sarah would say, but he could not seem to help himself.

"ENOUGH!" A shrill cry broke through Jareth's tirade as his mother rushed through a side door toward him.

"Mother." Jareth said in a whisper, barely believing his eyes. After all these years, where she wasn't even allowed to be mentioned, she was standing before him.

She had aged slightly, soft signs of worry lined her face, unusual in a fae her age, but then again, life married to the Sea King had not been kind to her.

"Astra…" the King warned.

Her Majesty reached for Jareth's hand, not daring to take her tearing eyes off him. "Llyr, our son is home. I will not have you two fighting on this happy day."

Llyr stared menacingly at his son, his hatred battling with the desire to make his wife happy.

Jareth placed a soft kiss on the back of his mother's hand before gripping it tightly. "What news have you heard?" He asked gently, his anger forgotten.

"Nothing for years now, Drest would send us messages occasionally, but that stopped." She looked into his eyes, searching for information about her family.

"Drest has been dead over 200 years now." Jareth replied simply.

His mother's free hand flew to her mouth as she gasped, "How awful for you, my dear."

Jareth sighed, when she had last seen Drest he was Jareth's protector. "No, Mother, Drest died trying to kill my wife." There was no reason to go into details, his mother did not need to know the awful plot Drest had cooked up.

"Wife? Oh Jareth, how wonderful!" Astra threw her arms around her son, engulfing him in her familiar perfume, happiness lighting her face.

She looked over his shoulder at her husband, who looked suspiciously unsurprised at the news of a daughter in law. "You knew." She stated accusingly, letting go of her son to approach her husband.

"Yes, I knew. Drest sent a message, his last message. I wanted to save you the grief of knowing your son married a human." The word human left his mouth as if forming the word left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Jareth? A human? Is this true, dear?" Astra returned to his side.

"Yes, her name is Sarah."

"Poor darling, how long have you been without her?" Astra's eyes were filled with sympathy.

"She's still alive Mother. She's barely aged a day since we married."

"How is that possible?" His father butted in.

"None of your business." Jareth bit out.

Astra held a hand out to her husband, stopping him from approaching Jareth. She smiled up at him sadly, years of loss and regret filling her eyes.

"I would love to hear about my daughter in law, darling. But I feel that you are here for another reason." Astra whispered.

Jareth sighed and nodded before looking to his father.

Llyr stared back, fighting the urge to rip his wife from Jareth's embrace.

"I want to know what you're planning Father, what halfcocked scheme you're working up."

Llyr didn't bother to feign ignorance. "What I plan to do with my time is my business, you can tell that to that busy body king of yours."

"Let me rephrase. I know you and your monsters are up to something. Stop it now and I won't kill you." Jareth growled.

"Jareth!" Astra gasped at the threat. "Your father knows better than to try anything again. Not after what happened last time."

"Astra, return to your chambers!" Llyr bellowed.

"How dare you talk-" Astra started.

"I wish to talk to my son alone." Llyr ground out.

Jareth gripped his mother's hand once more, "It will be fine, Mother. You should leave, you shouldn't have to endure this."

"But, I may never see you again." Astra's voice broke.

Jareth returned her sad gaze and kissed her cheek, whispering low in her ear. "We have a daughter, we named her Sybil." He gave her a knowing look before releasing her.

Astra returned the stare and quietly left the room, tears falling from her cheeks as she thought of the granddaughter she would never know.

Once he was sure his wife was far from the throne room he let out a bolt of power that threw a distracted Jareth against the stone wall. As Jareth returned to his senses and began to get up Llyr towered before him, doing his best to belittle his son, to return him to the child he once was.

"You come into my kingdom and demand to know what I'm doing!? You little weasel, you've become no better than the goblins you lord over, cowardly, weak willed, sneaky little shit."

Jareth returned to his feet, it was now he who towered over his father. "I am the weak one father? I am not the one that damned myself and my wife to a life of exile. I am not the one who left my child to fend off a lifetime of suspicion! I know you are up to something, I can see it in your eyes. I will kill you myself before I allow you to harm a single creature in the kingdoms." To emphasize the point Jareth used his magic to choke the air out of his father before releasing him, leaving him in a gasping heap.

"You'd never kill me, no matter what I did. You would never do that to your mother, think of how she would suffer know her sweet little boy killed his own father. You may as well kill her too." Llyr chuckled menacingly after regaining his breath.

Jareth shook with anger. He should just kill the ass now, he thought, save the world a lot of trouble. His father was right though, he could not harm his mother in such a way.

"I think its time you left." Llyr said calmly.

"I think not, Father. Not until I learn what you've been doing to occupy your time all these years. No parties, no hunts, no affairs to be had in this prison."

Llyr didn't take the bait and used all his magic to fight his son, who had grown to have an exceptional amount of magic.

Jareth could feel his father's magic trying to push him out of the room. It was annoying more than anything. If he began a power struggle here now with Llyr Jareth knew he would end up killing him with his superior power. He laughed at Llyr's attempts to move him and began to walk toward the door.

"Don't worry, Father. I'll return soon." Jareth called over his shoulder before entering the courtyard.

Jareth's face remained grim as he made his way back to the boat. His father was indeed up to something. He did not mention it, but while in the castle he could sense a multitude of magical creatures, not just the fae servants, but many others that had no ties to the Sea Kingdom. He had stayed longer than necessary hoping to be able to ferret out signs of who exactly Llyr was hiding in the fortress. Jareth could only come to one conclusion. His father was creating an army, not just his army of sea monsters, an army for land. He was planning an invasion, a war of blood, father against son.


End file.
